Razor-blade stropper



April 1 1924.

E. E. sL|cg ET AL R'Azo'n BLADE sTRoPPEn Filed March 9. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April l, 1924.

l E. E. sLlcK ET AL RAZOR BLADE STROPPER Filed Marlen 9.

1921 2 A Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented .i5-hpp l, i924.

EDWN E. SLICK TG RGLLU STB-OP CGJIBAZY, GF ELTTSBURGH, EENJSYLVANEA, A CORPOBTON OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAZOR-BLADE STPJOPPER.

Application filed March 9, 1921. Serial No. 459,859.

T all 107mm t 'may concern.:

lie it known that We, EDWIN S12-ion and EMU. C. DANNnmcitizens of the `United Sta-tes, andresidents of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Fennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful vli'nprovenients in Razor-Blade Stroppers, of which the following is a specification.

rl`his invention relates to razor blade Sharpeners and more particularly to razor blade Sharpeners adapted to strop and sharpen the blades of safety razors, and has for one of its objects the provision of such a device that may be manually operated and one that will operate on different forms of razor blades.

Another object is to provide a Sharpener of this class having a novel blade holder adapted to present the blade to the sharpening strops.

A further object is to provide a Sharpener that Will be compact, eiiicient and durable, with a minimum number of moving parts.

The above and other object-s will be fully brought out in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a razor blade stropper or Sharpener constructed in accordance With this invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional elevations showing the blade holder and blade in different positions.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the retaining member for the'blade holder posi tioned to permit the removal of the vblade holder.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan on the line V-V of Figure 1.

Figures 6, 7, and 8 are detail views of the blade holder. f n

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a slightly modified construction of a stropper adapted for use with single edge blades.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of the stropper of `Figure 9. s

Figurell is a side elevation of another modified construction of the stropper.

Figure 12 isa sectional elevation of the stropper of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a sectional plan on the line Kill-Kill of Figure 11.

axis of the body portion. 'Each of the seriesof spacer rodsA and B consists of three rods 4, 5, and 6, tivo of rods, 4 and 5 of each series, are located on the same vertical plane adjacent the top and bottom edges of the side plates and the third'rod 6 is off-set toward the outer end ofthe plates and spaced equi-distant between the other rods 4 and 5. v

Each of the rods 4, r5, and 6, carries a roller 7 to form an anti-friction mounting for the stropping member composed of stropsy 8 and 9. ,l V

The central portion of the side plates 3 and V32"k areV cut awa-y between the series of rods forming` central passages orv apertures 10 and 11, respectively, through ivhichthe the blade holder 12 is adapted to pass and b reciprocated vertically. AThe apertures 10 and 11 are provided With vertical side Walls 13 and 14, respectively, -Which guide and center the bladerholder 12. as Will be hereinafter more fully described.

VThe strops S and v9 are securedtogether at their ends by eyelets 15 and16 and are trained about the rollers onthe series of rods A and B. respectively.V The strops 8 and 9 extend under the roller 7 on the rod 6 and over the roller 7 on the rod-5, thereby presenting upper and lower contacting surfaces orsharpening surfaces adapted to contact with a blade held in the holder 12, lWhih extend horizontally Within the body2 of the device and at right angles to the length of the strops. ,The Sharpener is adapted to be suspended from a hook, nail or other device by the eyelet 1,5 and is provided with a iiexible member such as a cord loop 17 secured in the eyelet 16 to form a hand hold for the operator.

, lt Will be obviousto those yskilled in the art ythat a single strop may be substituted for the two strops 8 and 9 by doubling such stropv upon itself at Yits center, instead of securing two strops together by the eyelet15.` c

rEhe blade holder 12 comprises a top plate 18 and a bottom plate 19 adapted to clamp a blade therebetween. The top member 18 is provided at one end With a pair of outwardly extending flat ears 20 which are adapted to abut the side edges 13 of ythe aperture 10 in the one side plate 3'to guide the holder when it is reciprocated vertically The ears 20 are od-set above the upper face of the plate 18 to prevent transverse movement of the bottom plate 19. The other end ot the base plate 18 is provided with a pair or" ears having flat bottom portions 21 and upstanding portions22. The bottom portions 21 ot the ears are adapted to abut the side edges of the aperture 11 in the side plate 3a and the upstanding portion 22 is of greater Width than the portion 21 and adapted to abutl the side tace ot the plate 3a to limit the transverse movement of the blade holder in one` direction.

The top plate 18 has its one end turned back upon itselic in spaced relation forming a catch 23 adapted to receive the. one end o1" the bottom plate 19, The other end of the bottom plate 19 is turned'bacl upon itself in spaced relation, forming a catch 24 to receive the unturnedend oi" the topL plate 18, thus tirmly locking the plates 18 and 19 together.

The top plate 18 is struck up to provide rounded projections 25 adapted to bev-engaged. Vin suitable apertures in the razor blade being sharpened, and the bottom plate 19 is provided with elongated slots 26 adapted to fit around the projections 25A and allow the plate 19 to bear against the blade.

The plates 18` and 19 are each provided on their vone end with concave linger grips 27 and 28, respectively, to provide a gripfor the operator kWhen moving the Sharpener along the strop.

A locking disk 29 is journaled on the side plate 3 adjacent the aperture 11 and is cut at one side of its vertical axis, the uncut portion being adapted to overlap the aperture 11 and lock the blade holder Within the body of the Sharpener.

vIn operation, a blade is clampedbetvveen the plates 18 and 19 of thebladeholder and the holder is passed through the apertures 10 and 1l so as to lie Within the body of the Sharpener. 7Vhen the blade holder is positioned Within the body of the Sharpener the upstanding ears 22 will abut the side face ofthe plate 3a and the--locking-disl 29 is rotated on its pivot so astio overlap one of the ears 22 thus lockingthe holder in place.

After the blade holder isV locked in position the operator'grasps thei'inger grips 27 and 22S- and moves the sharpener alongthe strops 8 and 9 which have their one end secured to a hook or other permanent fixture. As the operator moves the Sharpener along the strops in the up direction the blade holder and blade Will be forced up against the upper contacting surfaces of the strops and as the movement of the sharpener is reversed in the down direction the blade holder Will be reciprocated so as to bear against the lower contacting surface of the strops 8 and 9thus stropping or sharpening both sides or the blade edge.

In Figures 9 and 10 a. modiiied form of Sharpener is shoivn for use in sharpening single edge blades. The construction of this modified form is the same as the preferred form described above vvithtlie exception that the series of tie rods B' and the rollers carried thereby are omitted, and but the one strop. 8 used for sharpening the blade. Tivo tie rods 30 and 31 are substituted for the series of rods B to tie or hold the forward end of the side plates 3 and 3a together.

. .in Figures 12 to 14 We have shown a fur ther modified construction for sharpening or stropping a double edge blade. Referring to this modication the numerals 34 designate the respective side plates which are held in spaced relation by the rods 85, 36, and 37. The rodsv 35 and 36 a-re mounted on the same vertical plane adjacent the forward edge of the plates, and the rod 37 is mounted adjacent the rear edge oit the plates and midway between the horizontal axis ot the rodsy 35 and 3G.V Each of the rods 35, 36, and 37 carry a roller 38, and a strop 39 is adapted to be trained under the roller on the rod 36,.over'an'd around the roller on the rod 37 and overand around the roller on the rod 35, thereby presenting upper andlower contacting or sharpening surfaces adapted to contact with a blade held in the blade holder 40 to be described.

Thefblade holder 40 comprises a bottom plate 43 and a top plate 47. Each of the plates 43 and 47 is provided at one end With a crank shaped operating arm 44 which is permanently secured thereto. The arms 44 have their lower or plate engaging ends 45 formed cylindrical and biiurcated to prol vide a spring construction Which Will permit of them being compressed. sutliciently to pass through the slots 41 and-spring into the bearings 42. rllhe tree'ends 'of the plates 43 and 47 are adapted to be sprung VYinto the bifurcated ends 45 ot the arms 44 to hold the platesv together.

The lower plate 43 is struekupl to provide retaining lugs 46 adapted to project through suitable apertures in the blade being sharpcned', to centerand hold said blade in position.

The outer terminalsof the arms 44are each provided with concavefinger 'grips48 to provide a grip for the operator in movllO ing the device along the strap and reciprocating or rocking the blade. y

The operation of this modified form will be readily understood. The blade holder is forced out of the slots 41 and a blade clamped therein. The blade holder is then forced back throughthe slots 4l until the ends 45 of the arms 44 are engaged in the bearing portions 42 of the slot. rlthe .operator grasps the finger grips 48 and moves the device back and forth along the strap 39 and as the movement is reversed the blade holder will rock in the bearing portion 42 of the slots 4l, thus presenting the opposite Sides of the blade edges to the strop.

n While we have shown and described certain preferred forms of our invention it will be understood that we do not wish to be limited to `such specific constructions since various changes in construction and combination of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

le claim 1. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a flexible stropping member, a body portion mounted on said stropping member for reciprocation relative thereto, Supports in said body portiony for said stropping member, said Stropping member being trained over said supports in said body portion so as to present upper and lower stropping surfaces, and a blade holder adapted to be reciprocatcd Within said body portion perpendicular to said Stropping surfaces So as to cause both edges on one side and both edges on the other side of a double blade carried thereby to contact alternately with the upper and lower stropping surfaces of said Stropping member.

2. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a body portion having a plurality of rollers journaledy therein, at least one strop trained about said rollers so as to present upper and lower parallel stropping surfaces extending horizontally within said body portion and substantially at right angles to the length of the strop, a blade holder mounted in said body portion and adapted to be manually reciprocated perpendicular to said stropping surfaces to cause a blade carried thereby to contact alternately with the upper and lower stropping surfaces of the strop, Said body portion being adapted to be manually reciprocated on said strop.

3. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a body portion having two sets of rollers journaled therein, one of said sets ofrollers being on each side of the central axis of the body and each set comprising three independent rollers, a stropping member trained about said rollers so as to present upper and lower parallel stropping Surfaces extending substantially at right angles to the length of the stropping member, a blade holder detachably mounted in said body portion and adapted to be reciprocated to engage a blade 'arriod thereby alternately with the upper and lower stropping surfaces of said stropping member.

4. A rar/.or blade Sharpener comprising a body portion having two sets of rollers `iournaled therein, one of said sets of rollers being on each side of the central axis of the body and each set comprising three independent rollers, a stropping member trained about said rollers So as to 1present u sper and lower parallel stropping surfaces extending substantially at right angles to the length of the stropping member, a blade holder mounted in Said body portion and adapted to be manually recijrocated with relation to said body portion to cause a blade carried thereby to contact with the upper and lower stropping surfaces of said stropping member, said Sharpener being adapted to bemanually reciprocated on said strop.

5. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a roller frame having a flexible stropping member mounted thereon to form two upper and two lower stropping surfaces, and a blade holder mounted therein, said frame being arrangedto reciprocate on the stropping member and said holder being arranged to reciprocate in the frame perpendicular to said stropping surfaces in sharpening the blades.

6. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a flexible stropping member, a frame member mounted on said stropping member and movable longitudinally thereon, supports in said frame member for said stropping member, said stropping member being trained over said Supports in Said frame member to form upper and lower stropping surfaces extending parallel to each other, and a blade holder loosely mounted in said Vframe member and adapted to be manually raised and lowered in a. path perpendicular to said stropping surfaces so as to bring both edges of the opposite sides of a double edge blade f thereon alternately into contact with said stropping surfaces.

7. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a flexible stropping member, a frame member mounted on said stropping member and movable longitudinally thereon, a plurality of supporting rollers journaled in said frame, said stropping member being trained over said rollers to form upper and lower stropping surfaces extending parallel to each other, and a blade holder loosely mounted in said frame member and adapted to be manually raised and lowered in ra path perpendicular to said stropping surfaces so as to bring both edges of the opposite sides of a double edge blade thereon alternately into contact with said stropping surfaces.

8. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a body portion having a pair of strops mounted therein so as to present upper and lower stropping surfaces, a blade holder adapted to be reciprocated Within said body portion perpendicular to the strapping surfaces so as to cause a blade carried thereby to contact alternately With the upper and lower stropping surfaces oi" said strops7 and nieans on the ends of said blade holder adapted to be engaged by the operator to reciproeatesaid holder.

9. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a body portion having a pair of strops mounted therein so as to present upper and loWer stropping surfaces, a blade holder adapted to be reciprocated Within said body portion,

perpendicular to the stropping surfaces so as to cause both edges onone side and both edges on the other side ot a double edge blade carried thereby to contact alternately With the upper and lower stropping surfaces of said strops and ineans on the ends ot said blade holder adapted tobe engaged by the operator to reciprocate said holder.

l0. A razor blade Sharpener comprising a "l bod oortion havin@ a Jair ot stro 3srnounted therein so as to present upper and lower stropping surfaces, a blade holder adapted to be reciprocated within said y'body portion perpendicular to the stropping surfaces so as to cause both edges on one side and both vedges on the other side of a double edge blade carried thereby to contact alternately with the upper and lower stropping surfaces of said strops, and disks on the ends of the holder adapted to be engaged by the operator to reciprocate said holder.

ll. A'razer blade Sharpener comprising a body portion having a pair ot strops mounted therein so as to present upper and lower stropping surfaces, a blade holder adapted to be reeiprocated Within said body portion perpendicular to the stropping surfaces so as to cause both edges on one side and both edges on the other side ot' a double edge blade carried thereby to contact alternately with the upper andlewer stropping surfaces oit said strops, said body portion being adapt d to be reciprocated on said strops, and concave disks on the ends of said blade iolder adapted to be engaged by the Voperator to reciprocate said holder and said body portion.

l2. A razor b'ladesharpener comprising' a body portion having a Vstrapping ineniber mounted therein so as to present upper and lower stropping surfacesy a blade' holder adapted to be reciprocated within said body portion so as to cause a blade carried thereby to Contact alternately with the upper and lower stropping surfaces of said stropping nieniber, and means on the ends oi: said blade holder adapted to be engaged by the operator to reciprocate said holder.

ln testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands,

EDWIN E. SLICK. EMIL C. BANNER. 

